Hair Troubles aka The Dumbest Post Ever

I think about the color of my hair way too often. A few months ago I was simply sick of keeping up with highlights and decided to dye my hair darker. My goal was to get back to my original roots and stay that way. There were a few reasons I wanted to rid myself of highlights
- they are SO expensive
- they require too much upkeep
- I felt a little ridiculous getting highlights...like do they have an age appropriateness?

So I went to the salon and told her that I was nervous about dying my hair dark so she put a semi in. I liked it but I didn't love it. I was satisfied though and so was my wallet. In 2-3 weeks the dye was pretty much washed out and I wasn't sure what to do. I've been putting off going back to the salon because I'm getting a sudden urge to get highlights again. Summer is coming and I think I really do like how I look with lighter hair. I've found myself browsing through pictures from South Africa (when my hair was naturally lightened from the sun...not from highlights) and I'm longing for them again.

Just look at that blonde hair people!

Right now my hair is in this weird 3-block stage. The top is my roots (the darkest), the middle is like a combination of lighter hair with highlights that was covered up by darker hair...it almost has a reddish tint, and the bottom is the lightest of all (and dry as hell at this point). 

Sooo what to do...I have a few options:
1. Do nothing -- get my hair cut but don't touch the color, see what the sun does to it in the summer then decide
2. Go lighter -- just give in and get highlights
3. Go lighter -- but not THAT much lighter
4. Go darker again and opt for a more permanent color

This is not worth thinking about this much. AHHH!!